Self-love isn’t about self indulgence or being narcissistic. It also doesn’t mean that one is selfish and uncaring towards others. It simply means setting aside a bit of time for some self-care, our well-being and happiness. Do you have a daily/weekly self-pampering/ self-loving ritual? There are many good reasons to engage in a self-care practise. We tend to get so bogged down in our daily, ultra busy lives that we forget to take care of ourselves! Getting a sore throat or a fever is a way of our body communicating and telling us to slow down and give it some TLC.  But why wait to get ill before thinking of self-care? Why not build our day or week around a compassionate routine that helps us, not only to charge our batteries but also to invigorate our senses!

Easy ways to build a self-care practise is to start by doing something for yourself. It can be something as small as setting aside 15 mins to yourself and soak into a relaxing bath at the end of the day, to something as nice as having a weekly full body massage. A gentle walk in the park or a fast run on the treadmill. A morning meditation or an afternoon nap. An early morning hike or a late lie–in.

There is no right or wrong, it’s all about letting go. So next time you think of self-love, think of what excites and relaxes you. Doing something you love for yourself and replacing that critical voice with something caring and compassionate.